REVIEW - Steve Strongman, The Lounge, London, May 18, 2008

The blues, as a music genre, is always evolving. Maybe that’s why we can claim “The Blues will Never Die!” What was first heard acoustically in the Mississippi Delta over 100 years ago before it migrated to northern cities like Chicago and became amplified, then made it’s way to Britain to be interpreted by young white kids and sent back to us as an invasion is now being reinterpreted by our own young musicians.
Last night we got a chance to see and hear one of southern Ontario’s hottest young bluesmen, Steve Strongman at London’s intimate The Lounge, playing the blues as he hears it. Strongman is at that point of his career where he’s still out there as many nights of the week playing his blues for any audience willing to pay the cover charge or pass a tip jar. We saw him in a room with about 75 other fans but remember, this kid has got credibility as a bluesman in that he opened earlier in April for Buddy Guy at Hamilton Place. Next month he’ll be playing on festival stages at The Waterfront Bluesfest and the Orangeville Jazz and Blues Festival. Such is the career for these up and coming bluesmen.
Raised in Kitchener but now living in Hamilton, Strongman is an extremely talented guitar player and will throw in some great blues harp when the mood/song calls for it. Many of the tunes we got introduced to were from his 2007 “Honey” CD. All but two tracks are originals and Steve’s songwriting talents are very evident, especially on my personal favourites Soul Searching, River, Silhouette and the complex but beautifully structured The Birthday Song. And his cover of Mel Brown’s How Blue Can You Get which actually features his mentor from the Kitchener days was a treat as well.
This is a young artist that comes with a full package … he can sing, he can play, he can write and most of all, he wants to entertain you. While his CD is a great introduction to this boy’s skills, it’s his live performance that’ll have you talking about him to everyone you meet. I can always remember the first performance of all my favourite artists, the ones that I follow and try to see again and again but my introduction to Steve Strongman last night was an all time “best first performance!” (Steve was nominated Best New Artist at the 2007 Maple Blues Awards). We’re hoping that we can get him up this way before too long, before we can’t afford him because this is a talent that is destined for bigger things in his near future.

REVIEW - Rita Chiarelli, Jubilee Hall, Walkerton, November 16, 2007

I have a confession to make. I had an intimate evening with Rita Chiarelli on Friday night. Oh, there may have been another 150 or so people with us at the time but it was still an intimate evening between Rita and me. I know because she was looking right at me. She told me many personal stories like about ex-lovers, her frustrations with the record industry, growing up in Hamilton, living in Thunder Bay and an incredibly moving account of her mother’s passing. And she kept asking me for permission to sing certain songs. And she repeatedly asked if I was okay. Yep, it was just me and this awesome talent for two and half hours!

Fortunately this very intimate performance was in one of the premier venues in this area, Walkerton’s Jubilee Hall and we have to thank Mary Robinson Ramsey and her volunteers for giving the blues fans in the region another fantastic evening with a national artist. This historical gem has perfect acoustics, excellent sightlines and comfortable seating throughout the auditorium. Staff is accommodating and pleasant. The whole package is reasonably priced and the Walkerton community is to be congratulated for all its efforts to preserve this facility.

Rita was accompanied by Pappa John King who also plays in the Memphis Brothers, backing Danny Brooks. John played up here in Kincardine last June with Danny Brooks and then more recently with him in London so we’ve had a couple of other opportunities to see him in the last few months. He is a gifted musician in his own right and one of my favourite slide guitar players.

Listening and watching Rita perform, backed by Pappa John King, drew me to naturally think of Danny Brooks. Rita, like Danny, sings with a growl, a passion, an intensity and with such physical expression you know it’s personal and with commitment. Her writing is just as moving as the lyrics in Danny’s songs but stripped of his hope and faith. Rita will freely admit she’s depressing but she’s okay with that and jokes that we’re not going to hear many happy songs tonight.

Much of her playlist came from her "Breakfast at Midnight" CD, a compilation of originals that showcases her writing talents. My favourite was the achingly poignant "I Can Change for You" with its desperation, but then there was the more up tempo "Horse of a Different Colour" and a slower version of "Never Been Loved Before" which her mother apparently decided was Italian. We got to hear her beautiful ballads "Since I’ve Had You on My Mind" and "Last Train" with an emphatic and foot stompin’ version of "Loving You (Is Killing Me)".

The night also included some new tunes that haven’t been recorded but she wanted to try out (or in the case of those tracks taped last week with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, recorded but not released). And we also got to listen to her covers of such classics as Dylan’s "Highway 61" and other blues hits as "Driving Wheel", "Nobody Knows" and then in her encore, a rousing version of Kristofferson’s "Me and Bobby Magee", done Joplin style.

Rita was introduced as an artist that combines Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt and Melissa Etheridge and I can agree with that. I heard all three great singers at times throughout Rita’s performance during the night but she is more than anything an original Canadian blues singer. If I was going to draw any comparisons I still kept thinking Danny Brooks the most. Media refer to her as "The Goddess" of Canadian blues but I’m not as comfortable with that. The term "Goddess" sounds too refined and with Rita it’s the rawness of her singing that stands out. She is down and dirty blues, invoking smoke- filled, whiskey smelling, juke joints. A friend of mine, Rowan Poots out of London, booked Rita into his blues bar, The Other Side, back in the 80’s and recalls Rita belting out the blues standing on top of the bar! That’s not how a goddess behaves but boy I wish I was there that night, that’s how I would want to see Rita play!

Again, my appreciation to the good people over at the Jubilee Hall for giving us this opportunity to hear the blues from a lady who I believe, when listening to her lyrics, has lived the blues. Now I gotta check her website to see how far we need to travel to hear her again. Hopefully she was serious when she told us she’s like some land around Bruce County to settle down …. how awesome would that be!

Bruce Bar and Grill, November 10, 2007

"What an amazing evening at the Bruce Inn with Jerome Godboo and his band and his gal! What an amazing entertainer! He really puts the sexy in the blues with his powerful harp playing, singing and expressive moves and dancing! I was totally enjoying the glory of it all!
The audience was fantastic and showed tons of excellent appreciation. I believe artists really pull it up from inside with that kind of appreciation.
It was lovely to see Jerome dance and play to his gal Jane Hayes. He said touching things that brought us all into the wonder of what they have together. It made the evening feel romantic.

Excellent evening! I count it a serious credit to have people in my local area that work diligently to bring such top notch players to our community !! "

--Raylene

REVIEW - Anthony Gomes, Fireside Cafe, September 17,  2007

We usually see Anthony Gomes on festival stages like Ottawa Bluesfest last summer or large stages at big city venues so seeing him in the smaller, intimate surroundings of The Fireside Cafe is truly unique. It's as if he's playing at a house party and hosts, BCB members David and Linda Phillips, (with their young staff), truly go out of their way to make everyone feel comfortable. This is the 6th year The Fireside Cafe has hosted an evening with Gomes and you will not want to miss any future visits to Wingham because you'll never get any closer to this electrifying performer.

Anthony had more than a few surprises for us in the evening. Anthony has had a couple of band changes since we saw him at the London Bluesfest in July. Biscuit Miller, his long time bass player and crowd favourite, has left the band with David Karns stepping up to provide the pivotal bass line to Anthony's songs. This performance also introduced us to Peter Lang, his new drummer. Todd "Church" Harmic, one time keyboardist for another high energy performer, Tinsley Ellis, continues to pound piano and organ for Gomes. With a new bass player and drummer you'd expect a few hiccups in the evening but this crew had obviously worked out all the kinks in practice and the performance was as tight as the surroundings.

Yet there was a subtle difference to the show. Anthony kicked open the night (literally!) with "Are You Ready", complete with blistering guitar licks, stage strutting and raw vocals you come to expect. But it wasn't too long before he also showed us a gentler, almost jazz infused side to the evening, especially accentuated with a long solo from Harmic on "Stand Up". He really brought out his poetic side on plaintive ballads like "When the Right Woman Does You Wrong" but, just when you might drift off in introspective thoughts,  he kicked you outta your chair with a hard-driving tune like "Music is the Medicine" which closed out the opening 75 minute set.

After a short break Anthony introduced us to another beautiful ballad "Long Way Home" which most wouldn't recognize unless they had the limited edition CD of the same name. But, like I said above, this was immediately followed up with the powerful "Testify", again bringing the crowd to their feet. The whole second set, like the first, had a great mix of familiar funky soul tunes like "Do What You Do" "Blinddog" and "Unity", or his searing, protest song "War on War" with gentler, and in some cases, entirely new southern rock ballads like "I'm Loosing You". Now based out of Nashville and with the recent band change ups, I'm wondering if, in fact, Anthony might be drifting into a more southern blues-rock flow (some tunes echoing Marshall Tucker almost) but we'll have to wait for his new CD to be sure.

David and Linda have to be thanked for giving us these opportunities to hear such an incredible performer in such an up close intimate and comfortable surrounding. And did I mention the meal? Yes, The Fireside Cafe also offers a 5 star menu and makes the drive over to Wingham worthwhile in itself. Keep in touch with these BCB members and don't miss their next booking at their venue.

REVIEW - Danny Brooks and The Memphis Brothers, Saturday, June 9, 2007

Saturday night, June 9^th and the blues fans at the Bruce Bar and Grill, Kincardine, were treated to one of the best live shows of the year. Danny Brooks poured out his energy and talent with vocals, guitar & harmonica with a passion that had the crown clapping, whistling, and cheering wildly from the first song.

The first time I saw Danny was in an Orangeville restaurant where he was accompanied by friend Dean McTaggert, a talented entertainer & songwriter for Amanda Marshall. That show was excellent. He is often accompanied as a duo by Dennis Pinhorn on Bass or a gospel group The Rockin’ Revelators.                                                

Danny is a great bluesmen, he is authentic, and tells the truth of his experience in a personal, intense, raspy, powerful, singing voice that he knows how to use. He sang classic gospel and many he wrote such as “You’ll Find A Way”…. “Sometimes you have to hit the wall before you see the light of day” ... and “Down On My Knees” with the conviction he once used to fight his way clear of a self-confessed 20 year fog of addictions. “I like to sing and shout when I’m happy”, and that happy feeling is infectious, whatever your faith or lack thereof. That happy feeling is what people took home with them from the Bruce Bar & Grill, and that is a great gift.

He put together a group of musicians for this show that were so professional you would swear they had played together forever, although it was the first time the drummer had been with them:

Danny Brooks with vocals, guitar, and harmonica led the show, and he set a sound level that was just perfect for the room, putting passion in every note, phrase and movement.

Dennis Pinhorn played bass, and sang, performing like he just loved being there.

Michael Sloski on drums put the rhythm where it belonged without the amplification and crashing overwhelming noise we usually get from many unprofessional drummers.

Papa John King’s electric guitar sound varied from a rock-blues, to honky tonk twang and even simulated a violin at times.

Ed Zankowski’s tenor sax brought smiles to many faces.

I can usually find something about an entertainer or band that interferes with my enjoyment, but not this night, … this group was right on top of their game …..awesome!

I can see why live CD’s are popular, but you can never capture the smiles flashing from person to person, the dance moves, the spontaneity of it all, or the feeling in the room. “Those boys could play the blues, it ‘don’t’ get better than that”. 

Ted Smith

REVIEW - Garrett Mason, Bruce Bar and Grill, Friday April 13, 2007

There was nothing unlucky for the 150 blues fans who joined us at the Bruce on Friday 13th to hear the young Juno Award winning blues guitarist from the East Coast, Garrett Mason. This boy was hot! and enthusiastically received by everyone, especially those who wanted to dance! One of our guests passed on this review: "What a great guitarist! The best artist so far as voted by the "Afters" gang....Garrett is related to the Armstrongs in Ripley Onatrio! Never know where family will show up! A fantastic jump up and dance gig! Lots of fun...we hope he comes back for the Kincardine Reunion if not before!! We're hoping the opportunity to bring Garrett back comes up as well.... maybe as early as this fall!

REVIEW: On Wednesday, March 7, we provided the elementary school children of St. Anthony’s, KTTS and Huron Heights with a live performance of the Chris Murphy Blues Band featuring Denise Pelley. Performing with Chris was Maple Blues Award winner Ted Leonard, Ted Peacock, Kim Ladd and Dean Harrison. Chris and his Blues in the Schools programme teaches the students the roots of blues music, its structure and form and its impact on the music of today. It’s a highly interactive, 60 minute concert that had the students singing and dancing. Students and teachers were enthusiastic at both the morning and afternoon concerts. On Wednesday evening Chris and the band performed for the parents, teachers and other guests at the Bruce Bar and Grill and were equally well received!

Our Blues in the Schools programme is an important educational contribution to our community and we really appreciate the financial support of area businesses that helped make this possible. We acknowledge the incredible support and promotion from our community radio station, The Coast FM as well as the following individuals and businesses: Frank Pearce Skate Sharpening,  Mary Rose and Danny Graham, Mary Rose Graham Day Spa, Diva Graphics, Lorenzo Casey, Baxter’s Row Fashions, Jerome Flowers and Gifts, Bruce Bar and Grill, The Hair Connection